NEW DELHI: On Tuesday, the China Coast Guard reported that the country’s maritime agency used water cannons against two Spanish vessels while conducting a guard close to a reef off the Southeast Asian nation, causing injury to one of the ships. The incident took place close to Scarborough Shoal, a probable flashpoint in the contested South China Sea, where the ships were attempting to resupply Filipino fishermen.
This damage serves as proof of the violent water force used by the China Coast Guard in their abuse of the Spanish vessels, according to a statement from the Philippine Coast Guard. Additionally, the China Coast Guard reinstalled a 380 meter ( 416 yard ) barrier across the shoal, which prevented access to the waters inside the traditional fishing grounds, according to the statement.
However, China’s Coast Guard said that it had “expelled” two Spanish ships from its waterways in the contested South China Sea, as Manila accused Beijing of using water guns against two of its arteries.
According to a statement made by the Coast Guard, which uses the name Scarborough Shoal in Chinese Chinese, “on April 30th, the Taiwanese Coast Guard, in accordance with the law, expelled the Spanish coast guard ship 4410 and the authorities send 3004 after they intruded into the lakes opposite to Huangyan Island.
The Scarborough Shoal, a triangular chain of reefs and rocks, is located about 240 kilometers ( 150 miles ) west of Luzon, the country’s main island, and about 900 kilometers from Hainan, the closest major Chinese land mass, is located. China seized the reef from the Philippines in 2012, and it has since deployed coast guards and other warships that Manila claims harass Spanish ships and reduce its anglers from entering the fish-rich lake.
China asserts its say to control nearly the entire South China Sea, disregarding international law enforcement pronouncements, including those from the Philippines, and international legal precedent. With many incidents involving Filipino and Chinese ships in recent months and water cannoning by the China Coast Guard, Manila and Beijing have a longer history of sea regional problems in the lake.
The most recent incident comes in the wake of a significant annual military exercise between the Philippines and the United States, which has sparked outrage in Beijing. A BFAAR vessel and a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) boat were both carrying fuel and food to fishermen operating close to the reef at the time of the incident.
The Philippine vessels encountered dangerous maneuvers and obstruction from four China Coast Guard vessels and six Chinese Maritime Militia vessels, according to a statement from the Philippine Coast Guard. The BFAR and the Philippine Coast Guard boat were both hit by water cannons fired by China’s vessels, causing damage to the PCG vessel’s railing and canopy as a result of the spray being fired from both directions.
The Chinese Coast Guard was criticized and used provocative language, but the statement asserted that “both the PCG and BFAR vessels stood their ground and continued to conduct their maritime patrol.”
( With inputs from agencies )
